Apple Inc.
Optical Systems Having Angle-Selective Transmission Filters

Abstract:

An electronic device may include an emissive display panel that emits light. The light may propagate along an optical path extending to an eye box. A waveguide with an input coupler and an output coupler may be interposed on the optical path. An angle-selective transmission filter (ASTF) may be interposed on the optical path and may filter the emitted light as a function of angle to remove high-angle light from the optical path before the light is provided to the output coupler. The ASTF may include diffractive grating structures such as thin-film holograms, volume holograms, or surface relief gratings, louvered mirrors, multi-layer coatings, or a pinhole array. This ASTF may serve to minimize stray light within the display, thereby optimizing the contrast and the modulation transfer function (MTF) of the display.